


salt and sand

by whim_sy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Coran and Allura Show Up One (1) Time in Name, Get Ready for Some Useless Tags, Inconsistent Setting, No Clear Time Periods, Pidge | Katie Holt-centric, Read if You Want I Guess?, She also Really Likes Commas, Sorry Not Sorry, The Author Cannot Handle Herself for More than Ten Seconds, Wow Now I'm Just Roasting Myself, and italics, gonna be honest, obviously, pre-klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 03:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15476649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whim_sy/pseuds/whim_sy
Summary: First heats are the worst heats. everyone seems to say(or: two alphas, two betas, and an omega walk into a space castle--)





	salt and sand

**Author's Note:**

> does the title make sense? nah. does this fic make sense? nope. buckle up kiddies. this is a ride.
> 
> first off, this is probably not what you think it is, lmao. secondly, some ground rules (? listen bud i don't go to school for a month and i forget how to word okay)
> 
> 1) if you know me personally, please stop. go home. read another fic. let me suffer in my shame.
> 
> 2) if you don't know what this weird alpha-beta-omega stuff is, read [ this primer right here ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/403644) (also you're welcome that took 87 YEARS to find do people not link this in their a/b/o anymore i used to see it everywhere tf?? QUICK EDIT that also took a decapheeb to code in honestly someone give me a medal i'm out here doing the most). it's cool. i'll wait.
> 
> if you're weirded out, no biggie. if you finished reading and you're still here B)) hi. 
> 
> 3) if you don't like, just don't read???? getting mean (NOT constructive, but like hurtful to be hurtful) comments is a fear of mine so lets not amirite ;)
> 
> 4) wow. i haven't bored you. anyways my interpretation of a/b/o is a little bit different from the norm, if you want i can throw it in the endnotes but it's also huge so i could like make a tumblr post???? i guess??? idk tell me what you want (what you really really want) in the comments. tl;dr - omega heats aren't wild sex weeks, they're kinda just slicky periods?? for the most part? and alphas can definitely handle themselves around omegas in heat. whether or not they want to is a different, shittier story.
> 
> Anyways, starting from their respective first appearances:  
> Katie is 13, then, 15, then 17  
> Matt is 15, then 17  
> Shiro is 19  
> Hunk and Keith are 18  
> Lance is 17
> 
> oof almost forgot to mention there are some parts that might be triggering or squicky to some so i'll tag them to the best of my ability in the end notes! please tell me if i've missed anything!
> 
> okay i think that's all, also sorry i'm all over the place, it's 6:31 and i've been up since 3 because my body is a traitor how fun )))) this isn't beta read don't kill me thanks for your time and ENJOY!!!!

The first heat is the worst heat, everyone seems to say. They couldn't be more right. The whole house is hazy with the scent of sickly sweet caramel. Katie nearly has a headache herself, just smelling it. She could hear her parents whispering frantically in the back room. But then again, it's not every day that your brother presents as an omega.

 

Mattie comes home early with a migraine and a fever. He winces at the bright lights in the living room, and nurses a water on the couch. Katie looks on worriedly, scanning the sweat on his brow and his trembling hands. She looks him up and down again before wrinkling her nose. "Mattie smells weird," she announces. Her mother whirls around and stares her down with a glare.

 

"Katelyn Maria Holt, that is not an appropriate thing to say about your brother. He's obviously feeling sickly." Katie scents the air again and groans.

 

"It's not rude if it's true," she argues, "he smells all... _fruity_." His usual light citrus smell now resembles that one time Alexander Jeffries found a 3 month-old clementine in the back of his locker. Her mom makes to chasten her when Sam interjects.

 

"Colleen, I think she might be right... He smells awful sweet." He does that thing parents do with their eyes when they mean more than they say. Her mother's eyes widen, and her mouth drops before setting in a firm line.

 

"You don't think?"

 

"I think I do."

 

* * *

 

They don't go see Dr. Mehta, which really sucks because he still gives Katie a lollipop, even though he says she's a big girl. Instead, they go see Dr. Anderson, who has a stern, long face. He also doesn't have lollipops. Mattie is shaking now, bundled up in a sweater and a hoodie even though it's barely fall, but his pallid face stops her from asking questions. They fumble about, draw a tube or two of blood, and then the doctor brings them to the front, leaving Matt alone in the back room.

 

"Well then, Dr. Holt, Mrs. Holt, it would appear to be that your son is presenting, and undergoing his first heat." Katie wrinkles her nose at the thought. They'd recently had _A/B/O - What You Should Know_ assembly at school, and though they did throw around terms like "presenting" and "heat", they sure didn't make it sound like they were _dying_.

 

"How is that possible? We both present beta, but I'm alpha-recessive and my husband is omega-recessive," her mom replied. Dr. Anderson nodded as she spoke.

 

"I'm not entirely sure, we'd need to do more testing to find out, but there are instances where an omega-recessive beta presents omega because the dominant beta gene is repressed. That being said, your son just needs to take the week off and sweat it out. As a precaution, I'd say to either book him a room at our heat clinic; or seal off his windows and doors to keep in the scent, and make sure he gets lots of fluids. You know how it goes, first is the worst, yes?" He chuckles weakly, but no one else laughs.

 

As they walk to the clinic's parking lot, Katie starts to notice something... odd. For one, her parents are on edge, sandwiching Mattie between the three of them. Dad's drawn up to his full height, and Mom's eyes dart about worriedly. Weirder still, everyone seems to have noticed Mattie's acrid developments. Random people shoot their heads up as they walk past, subtly (and not-so-subtly) scenting the air. A man turns and leers, before getting smacked to attention by his partner. This day couldn't get any creepier. (Famous last words.)

 

* * *

 

 "We're going to the pharmacy to get some supplies, alright? Make sure Mattie's comfortable, and call if you need us," her mother runs a hand through her hair, and attempts an easy grin. It's a little more like a grimace. They lock the door behind them and it's just her and Mattie. He blinks sluggishly at her, wiping at his brow.

 

"I'll be in my room?" He doesn't pause before stumbling away.

 

"Call me if you need anything," Katie replies to an empty hallway.

 

It's hard to concentrate on your homework when your big brother's stinking up a storm, she learns. the stench of 3 month-old clementines invades the whole house, and she yearns to open a window - but Katie knows the rules. Instead, she doodles in the margins of her math homework and flips through channels on the television. She starts getting into some vintage TV show - something about happy trees? art is weird, man - when the doorbell rings. She goes to get the door, thinking it's her mom. It's not.

 

The man at the door is tall, badly-dressed, and staggering. He leans into her space and draws in a purposeful breath. "I think you may have a problem that requires my... expertise," he drawls. He reeks of cigarettes and musty socks.

 

"I'm sorry?" she replies.

 

"You know what I mean, right?" He puffs out his chest and his scent thickens - alpha.

 

"M-my dad's home, and he wouldn't like if you were around," she mumbles, pushing the door closed.

 

"Don't you see I'm trying to help? The omega in there - they're _dying_ for it, y'know? Biological imperative and whatnot." He leans in closer, as if to crowd his way in.

 

"We're fine, thank you," she reaffirms forcefully, slamming the door. As she turns the lock, she can hear him raving - _little bitch was fucking sopping for it_ \- and she turns up the TV's volume. "Yeah dad?" she calls out. The man on the television blathers on about clouds and art. The alpha outside is stupid enough to believe the ruse, and his voice quiets as he walks away. When she can't hear him anymore, she shuts off the TV and runs into Matt's room.

 

If the scent was bad outside, it's near-toxic in here. Matt is curled up against the wall on his bed, looking smaller than she's ever seen him. "Mattie?" she whispers. He sluggishly lifts his head up and mumbles. Cautiously, she climbs up into bed with him and sits back against the wall, shoulders pressed together. "You feeling okay?" He lolls his head on her shoulder and sighs.

 

"Puberty sucks. Don't do it." Katie lets out a feeble laugh and runs a hand through his hair.

 

"S'okay, Mom and Dad will be back soon, and you'll feel better." Some of the tension ebbs from his body, and she can feel the smile pressed into her neck.

 

"What would I do without my Katie-cat?" He mumbles. She stays with him until her parents come home, and doesn't leave his side until his heat breaks.

 

* * *

 

The summer after Katie's 15th birthday, she's pleased to find out that ruts aren't half as bad as heats. She wakes up prickly, like her skin shrank a size in the wash, her usual herby scent cranked up to eleven. Her eyes hurt, her arms hurt, her fucking _teeth_ hurt, so she takes a cold shower and stomps down the stairs. When she gets to the table, Matt gags at the smell of her.

 

"What the hell is up with you today?" He grouses. She glares daggers back.

 

"At least I don't smell like last night's trash in heat," she growls back. Her father does a double-take, before hastily flipping the pancakes.

 

"That's a little harsh," he interjects, staring pointedly at Katie. This is where she usually feels properly chastened and ekes out an apology. Today, however, the deceptively light tone grates at her nerves.

 

"I don't see why Mattie had to bring anything up when no one else seemed bothered," she retorts, snatching a pancake from the plate. It's damn-near burning hot, but the sweet buttery flavor makes her groan with satisfaction. "Dad, these are _amazing_ , I need like 20." She then proceeds to demolish the entire batch, as her family looks on in horror.

 

"To the clinic then?" Her mom asks tiredly.

 

The doctor this time around is Dr. Millard, an unassuming beta woman. She takes one look (more like one whiff) of Katie, and announces, "Congratulations, it's an alpha!" Mom looks like she's about to faint, and Mattie cannot. Stop. Laughing.

 

"Got the whole set right here then," her dad mutters.

 

In the end, ruts are simple. She's tingly, moody, and eats them out of house and home for a week. She even gets to skip her period. (She might also get into a fight with some posturing alpha bastards who try to follow Matt home. They underestimate her for her slight stature, but in rut, she's 5 feet of pure rage. After taking down two and scaring off the third, Matt chuckles breathlessly and pours like half a gallon (in reality, it's just a bit) of alcohol over her raw knuckles. "I can't fucking believe you," he says, wrapping them up in bandages.

 

"No one gets to fuck with my brother except me," she spits back. He ruffles up her hair, buys her a pack of nutter butters, and lies effortlessly about catching her messing around with Dad's super not safe tools. They've got each other that way.)

 

* * *

 

Matt first goes on suppressants the day after he turns 18. He's on his way to Garrison, he argues, and no one will take him seriously if he's stinking up the halls 4 times a year. Their parents concede, but Katie pouts up a storm when he gets handed the blister pack. "You're gonna smell all weird now," she whines.

 

"You won't smell me when I'm in space," he retorts. His scent practically disappears, and for all intents and purposes, he's now a beta. Scent aside, she can't help but be relieved when Matt's popularity comes from his scientific prowess and not his second gender.

 

Then there's Kerberos. Then she realizes that she can't remember just how Matt smells anymore. (She starts sleeping in his room, clinging to the stale citrus smell left from his regulatory heats.)

 

Pidge Gunderson is lucky. Though his stature is willowy and his eyes scream innocent (daresay even omegan), his strong alpha scent is a clever misdirection. Society smells alpha and wants to see alpha male, so they do. He scans the sky and keeps Katie close to heart, right next to Mattie and Dad.

 

* * *

 

 

Katie learns a few interesting things in space. Alteans have no secondary gender and are scent null to boot. Galra are all either alpha or omega, both viciously violent. There also, unfortunately, are no suppressants in space. At first, it's not the biggest deal, three betas and two alphas can make do without. However --

 

"For us to be better paladins, we have to come completely clean with each other," Pidge announces, staring down at his feet. The rest of the paladins look on confusedly. "As you know, I'm an alpha. But not a regular one - a female alpha."

 

"You're a what?" Keith gapes. He looks up confidently.

 

"My name is Katie Holt, and I'm a female alpha." She stares them each in the eye, and then grins, "so maybe stop leaving your boxers everywhere." The laughter that comes next is comfortable, and Katie blinks away tears as she finally feels herself start to _settle_. Shiro gets that look in his eye, the one that preludes his sappy speeches, when Lance clears his throat.

 

"On the matter of coming clean, I kind of have a confession too?" He runs a hand over the back of his neck and takes a deep breath. "I'm an omega." All of the paladins freeze. "I've been on suppressants since I enlisted, but I'd rather you guys know now than when they run out."

 

"So like, you're gonna have _heats_?" Hunk asks. Lance nods, eyes still to the ground.

 

"I can handle them by myself of course, but I just thought you guys... should know." Katie can't help the surge of protectiveness that arises at her teammates' sullen look.

 

"I'm glad you both felt comfortable enough to talk to us," Shiro begins, "and know that we're always going to be there for you, no matter what. We're a team."

 

"And this team bonding moment, as beautiful as it was, needs to be capitalized on with a team bonding dinner - er, lunch? Whatever, do you guys want green goop or more green goop?" Hunk cheers, and with that, it's all back to normal.

 

(Three betas and two alphas can do without. Two betas, two alphas, and an omega? Not so much.)

 

* * *

 

It's not hard to figure out the quintant the suppressants run out. Katie wakes up to ship full of new scents, some unassuming and mild, others... not so much. Her own scent is stronger than usual, a result of her body flushing out the last of the medicine in her system. Shaking off the new scent confusion, she makes her way to the kitchen area, and is _assaulted._

 

Lance smells like honey and pastries and the beach, if she had to put it in words. He also smells very, _very_ strong. Katie is luckily one of the few alphas with no attraction to scent, but even she feels a little lightheaded. Lance grins awkwardly at her, and hands her a bowl of goop.

 

"Good morning to you, too," she jokes. He blushes scarlet, and she quickly backtracks. "It's not an issue, don't worry. Scents don't really affect me, I guess? Last I checked, they said I was scent null." His scent turns sea salty with relief, and she resists the urge to pet his cheeks. They eat in companionable silence for a while, then Hunk sluggishly makes his way in. His scent is more homey, cayenne tinged with warm, and the barest hint of pineapple. Lance passes him a bowl, and his scent gets spicy with gratitude.

 

"All our time at Garrison really made me forget how nice actually smelling people was," he comments, digging into his breakfast. Allura and Shiro trail in next, both chattering about some plan, and Katie scents the air to catalog. Both have mild scents, Shiro smelling of clean snow (how he managed, she couldn't place), and Allura just barely smelling of something fruity. Finally, Keith strolls in, sweaty from a morning of training. When he walks in, two things occur.

 

Immediately, Katie's nose wrinkles. Keith doesn't smell _bad_ per say, but it's just... Something about the combination of motor oil and dry earth makes her want to snarl. Second, Keith scents the air, and locks eyes with Lance. "You smell good," he rumbles, and Lance flushes bright red. Everyone falls silent at the awkward exchange.

 

"Thanks?" He squeaks. Keith looks him over, and grunts approvingly. He grabs his own bowl and moves to his rooms. No one notices as the basil scent of the resident female alpha sours.

 

It all comes to a head when Lance's honey-sweet scent goes sickly. Katie's alpha instincts are in full drive in the days leading up, plying him with food at every turn and sticking closer than usual. "I swear I'm fine, _pollito_ , I'm not hungry." She glares and jabs him with her wrench.

 

"If you weren't so stick skinny, I'd believe you." She tops up his bowl _one last time_ , and grins sweetly.

 

"Fine, _fine_ , one last bowl." He scarfs it down with badly-hidden gusto, and her scent blooms with pleasure.

 

The next day, the ship reeks of cloying honey, and Lance is nowhere to be seen. Allura and Coran, unused to heat cycles, look on worriedly, but for the most part, it's business as usual - until. Until.

 

Katie first starts to notice Keith's prowling after breakfast. For someone who spends 90% of his time training, he sure seems to make time to walk by Lance's door every couple doboshes. She catches him scenting the air, and starts to get suspicious.

 

"You guys think Lance is doing okay in there?" He asks during dinner. Hunk does a double take.

 

"Since when did you care about Lance's well-being? Is this character development I hear?" He retorts, tucking into his meal.

 

"I mean, heats seem kinda rough. You don't think he needs any - like help or something?" Keith continues.

 

"He's a grown omega, Keith, he'll be just fine. Weren't you too busy ignoring him to notice before?" she bites out, scraping her spoon along the bowl. His scent grows oily with displeasure, and hers sours to suit.

 

The next day, she finds Keith at Lance's door, poised to knock. "Oi, idiot, don't you see he's busy?" she snarls. He whirls to face her, brows furrowed.

 

"Okay, I'm not sure what your _problem_ is, but I was just trying to see if he was alright," he argues.

 

"My problem is that you spent so long pretending he didn't even exist, and now that he smells good you're a fucking dog at his feet." Keith growls in reply, scent spiking.

 

"The fuck did you call me?" He moves to step into her space, and her scent flares in response.

 

"Listen here, asshole, you might've been some Garrison prodigy, and you might be Shiro's golden boy, but step one foot closer to that door and I'll rip the spine right out of you." Their scents have now awakened the rest of the paladins, who look on with concern.

 

"I'd like to hear you say that again," Keith sneers, crowding her. She meets his gaze, and jabs a finger at his chest.

 

"Make one move," she repeats, moving to whisper in his ear, "and I'll rip your spine out _through your throat_." He shoves her back, snarl deep in his throat before Shiro grabs him, quickly immobilizing the challenging alpha. She growls right back, lunging right as Hunk snatches her up in a bear hug, exuding calm in his scent.

 

"You both need to _calm down_ ," Shiro commands, disapproving glare at full power. Both alphas are seething, but stay calm in their teammates' arms. "Lance is in there, probably tired and stressed from his heat, and you guys certainly aren't helping. What the hell is your problem?"

 

" _Keith_ is too fucking busy thinking with his knot to be of use to anyone," she immediately retorts.

 

"I don't know what your problem is!" he yells back. Shiro looks at them both, woefully underprepared.

 

"Both of you. Kitchen. _Now_."

 

The four sit at the table, Keith and Katie resolutely not looking at each other, Hunk glancing between them worriedly, and Shiro with a hand pressed to his temple.

 

"I did _not_  get flown into space thinking I'd be in the middle of some sort of alpha scuffle," he begins, glaring at the two, "but here we are. Is this some kind of... competition for Lance? Because I'll be having words if it is." Katie rears back, nose wrinkled.

 

"Are you kidding me? Lance is like a brother to me." Keith... doesn't say a word.

 

"Alright, so I officially have no clue why you two are fighting. Pidge, you seemed to be the instigator. Explain."

 

"He's been acting weird all week," she huffs, arms crossed, "and I've seen how alphas can get when there's an omega in heat. I'm not letting him near Lance."

 

"I swear I was just concerned!" Keith defends, hands up.

 

"Of course you were 'just concerned', all of you knotheads are. They tried to pull that type of shit with Mattie all the time." Now Shiro's head shoots up.

 

"Mattie was an _omega_?" He splutters.

 

"On suppressants you couldn't tell, but yeah. Ever since his first heat, alphas have been acting entitled. I've always been there to ward them off, and now-" she cuts off, takes a deep breath.

 

"I can't take care of him now, but I can make sure Lance is alright. And I'm gonna do it, no matter what." Keith looks on, and sighs.

 

"I really wasn't trying to harm him, but I'll keep away for the rest of this. I didn't mean to make you think he was unsafe." The stubborn alpha in her tries to stay mad, but to no avail.

 

"I'll back off as well. I know you wouldn't do anything stupid, not of purpose. But remember to keep him safe, and fucking talk to him, okay? He'll never know how you feel if you just stalk outside his door." The alphas nod at each other, and the scents in the room are finally calm.

 

She'd never lived with another alpha. Now, she thinks it won't be too bad.

**Author's Note:**

> potentially squicky scenes  
> \- there's a part where a stranger tries to come near an omega in heat? nothing happens but if you wanna skip that, after "It's not." you can skip to "If the scent was bad from outside..."  
> \- some school kids try to follow an omega home and get chased off by an alpha non-graphically -- its the stuff in parentheses in the paragraph that begins "In the end, ruts are simple."  
> \- an alpha starts (assumedly) subconsciously tailing an omega in heat, and another alpha calls them out on their bs. they nearly fight, but get held off by the team betas ("... it's business as usual until - until." to "'Both of you. Kitchen. _Now_.'" 
> 
> ~~~
> 
> well, that wraps it up! i hope you liked my interpretation of a/b/o, and this _might_ become a series of one-shots... idk. like if i've already gone off the deep end and written bastardized werewolf fanfic (don't lie, that's all a/b/o is) i may as well write some mpreg. i have ideas. i have a lil bit of worldbuilding going on. i also want more omega lance in the world, because you honestly can't look my boy in the eyes and not fucking see his family-oriented, sexy dangerous ass omega self (yo unrelated but imagine o/o klance? like lance is the more stereotypical vixen-esque love-my-family omega and keith is the rip-your-head-off, fuck-me-like-you-mean-it-you-bitch omega... ideas ideas)
> 
> if you're here from my other fic, [ the only light i know](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12123222), i'm sorry for not updating, but my mind hasn't been there??? so like if i can scrounge up another chapter i'll explain in an author's note, but i'd hate to be _that author_ who uploads a new chapter but it's an author's not bc fake news.
> 
> anyways, hope you enjoyed, comment if you did (and suggestions and other things), and see you next fic~~~


End file.
